Healthy Lakewood Foundation Awards Grants To Fight Coronavirus

LAKEWOOD, OH — The Healthy Lakewood Foundation will focus its 2020 grants on community needs created by the new coronavirus, COVID-19, crisis. Funds will be awarded immediately to organizations directly helping Lakewood residents in need.

The foundation said a $50,000 grant will be awarded to the Lakewood Community Services Center (LCSC) to support food procurement and distribution. A $25,000 grant will be awarded to the Department of Human Services for resident emergency needs stemming from the public health crisis.

“The board places its full confidence in LCSC and the City of Lakewood Human Services Department to identify residents most at risk and provide increased services and basic needs support in this time of crisis,” said HLF Board President Jeanine Gergel. “We trust the leadership of these two entities to be able to quickly provide help to those most in need.”

For the rest of 2020, the foundation will take a phased approach to grants, awarding them as needs become clearer during the crisis. Healthy Lakewood leaders will meet with community officials and organizers to identify additional funding opportunities.

“We will be keeping our ears to the ground for additional opportunities to support the community, once the full implication of this pandemic on individuals and families unfolds over the coming weeks and months,” said Gergel. “We take our responsibility as a foundation devoted to the health and wellness of the Lakewood community seriously and recognize our duty to be as responsive as possible at this critical time.”